Teaching investigative science: preliminary theorizing from the shared reflections of teachers

Little is known about the classroom practice of British teachers teaching i nvestigative science, other than the problematic implementation of assessme nt demands since around 1990. In this paper some preliminary theory is form ed from the shared reflections of some Scottish leachers at a symposium on the teaching of investigative science. Three different ways of integrating investigations into their teaching were apparent: they could be added on as a separate whole class exercise,added in through rewriting activities inve stigatively and supported as they arose ad hoc from pupils. Other emergent insights into leacher thinking are developed and discussed and some connect ions made with relevant literature. Teacher involvement, teacher and beginn er knowledge, pupil knowledge base, level of investigation and resource man agement are examples of implicit concepts which begin to constitute a basis for fuller understanding and exploration of the teaching context of invest igations in science.